Churches Would Get More Leeway on Political Speech

Emily Peterson-Cassin of the Bright Lines Project, which urges clarity on what nonprofits can and cannot do in the political arena, said the terms “de minimis” and “ordinary course of business” give the IRS wide latitude on interpretation.

As an example, she said, a university president tweeting a candidate endorsement to thousands of followers would appear to adhere to the proposed new guidelines. But what if the university spent money promoting that message? Determining whether there's been a violation might require a nonprofit to "open up its books to the IRS," she said. "It's invasive."

In a statement, Tim Delaney, the president and chief executive office of the National Council of Nonprofits said charities “cannot effectively serve our communities if we are invaded by the divisiveness of partisan politics.”